


Equivalent Exchange

by rosesfortrinity, WaterMonkey



Category: EXO (Band), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alternate Universe - Fullmetal Alchemist 2003/Brotherhood Fusion, Best Friends, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Pining, we still love and support wonwoo in this house
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 13:35:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16873839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosesfortrinity/pseuds/rosesfortrinity, https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaterMonkey/pseuds/WaterMonkey
Summary: Amara’s best friend, Kim Junmyeon and her boyfriend, Jeon Wonwoo, despised each other. She always assumed that it was because Junmyeon had become a very skilled Alchemist, and Wonwoo had always seemed against that… but is there more behind this feud that she wasn’t ready to learn?





	1. Chapter 1

“Shit.” Amara muttered, tugging at the ends of her hair anxiously, as she stared at the newly formed hole at the baseboard of her living room wall. She had, stubbornly, been attempting to move a bookshelf by herself, and it had quite magnificently failed. Instead, she’d managed to smash a basketball sized hole in her wall. Out of instinct, Amara grabbed her cell phone and facetimed her long-time best friend, Junmyeon. She flipped the camera around so she could aim it at what she’d done.

As soon as he answered the call, he burst out laughing. “Trying out some new renovations?” he quipped.

“Shut up.” she whined. “Do you know how to fix drywall?”

“In the traditional manner or in my way?”

Junmyeon was an alchemist, and apparently a damn good one, or so he said. Amara refused to let him use it to benefit her, though. He offered constantly. He offered to start fires when her heater had gone out, or pretended to be her 3D printer when she’d broken the leg off her dining room table. He once even tried to tell her that he could grow a tree to shade them while they were at the park. She still wasn’t completely sold on that tree idea, but then again, she had seen Junmyeon perform some pretty fantastic feats.

Amara flipped the camera around so that he could see her dramatic eye roll. “Junmyeon. You know I mean the normal, non-alchemy way,” but then she paused to consider it. “Can you actually do that? Is carpentry something that alchemy can even actually do?”

He chuckled. “Alchemy is just deconstruction and reconstruction. It shouldn’t take more than a simple circle on your wall and some quick work.”

“You expect me to leave a transmutation circle just plastered on my wall for everyone to see?! People will think I’m trying to summon demons!” Transmutation circles, as Junmyeon described them, help dictate the the flow of the alchemist’s power. It helps them direct their energy like a conduit. They were more a piece of art, if you asked her. It was always filled with runes that squiggled into a language she could only barely understand. To untrained eye, they’re often mistaken for witchcraft, and while she’d never met a witch, Amara figured it was unfair to see them all as evil. Same with alchemy or the circles. But one on her wall would certainly raise some eyebrows, and none higher than her boyfriend.

“You can do it in chalk so that it wipes off,” Junmyeon’s tone was snobbish, “and I have met some very nice demons, thank you very much.”

“Don’t know if you’re joking or not.“ She signed, running her fingers through her hair, "Going to assume you are. I’ve only just accepted your powers, I don’t want to have to rebuild my world again just yet.” He smirked at the word powers. “Can you fix my wall or not?” Amara groaned.

“Wait, wait, wait. Don’t you have a boyfriend to do this kind of stuff for you?” Junmyeon asked and Amara blushed. Junmyeon and her boyfriend, Wonwoo, had never seen eye to eye. They were cordial enough in her presence, but made sure to berate each other thoroughly behind each other’s backs, much to her dismay and disapproval. Junmyeon would play the ‘overprotective best friend’ card and Wonwoo’s excuse was always, “your best guy friend will always be the guy secretly in love with you. Have you seen a romcom, like, ever?”

“Um, well, Wonwoo asked me not to move it without him here to help. I got offended, thinking, ‘I am woman, hear me roar,’ and figured I was perfectly capable of doing it myself. As it turns out, I was not. And now, I need to hide my wounded pride.” She stuck my lip out, pouting slightly.

Junmyeon sighed. “I’ll be right over. But I’m doing this my way. There’s no way we would finish in time if we did it by hand.”

“Not to get technical, but, isn’t your way kind of by hand?” She made a “badum tsss” sound and pointed finger gun at him with her free hand. Although Amara found her joke freaking hilarious, Junmyeon groaned at the cheesiness of the it. Alchemy was performed by placing your hands on the transmutation circle drawn. Your hands send the energy needed from your body to the desired location, hence ‘by hand’. He hung up on her immediately, which she accepted as confirmation that he was on his way.

A while later, a knock on the door had Amara turning the knob and Junmyeon scooping her up into a hug. It always caught her off guard how strong he really was. He had no problems lifting her, or a hundred grocery bags, or walking all the neighborhood dogs. It was weird because he wasn’t really that big, he was just normal, not overly buff Myeon.

Once he placed her back on her feet, he said, “Alright, take me to your handiwork, O Destructive One!” She slapped his arm at the new, unwanted nickname, but guided him to the living room and rested against the entryway to the room as he made his way to the hole. He examined the size of the damage, reached back into it to make sure that there was enough drywall remaining back there to reconstruct. Then he picked up a piece left over from the carnage and waved it at her, “Pop quiz on Equivalent exchange.”

Equivalent exchange was one of the top things that you are required to memorize when it comes to alchemy. Essentially, the law states that nothing can be gained without something lost.

Amara nibbled at her bottom lip as her eyebrows creased together, “But Myeon, can you use something to create the same something? Or will you have to recreate something completely new?” She wasn’t sure if anything she was saying made any sense at all, but she desperately wanted to understand Alchemy for Junmyeon.

He was focused on drawing his circle above the hole in the wall, but still answered, “Well, because of the law of conservation, since all of the pieces are still here, it’s not like I have to create or destroy anything. It will be basically just rearranging all of the matter back to its original state.”

She nodded, processing it all. “Oh. So like the Law of Natural Providence. You aren’t trying to create anything new… so the chemical makeup stays the same, right?”

Junmyeon dusted his hands free of excess chalk and smiled at her efforts. “You’ve been reading the books that I gave you on Alchemy, haven’t you?”

Amara shrugged. “It’s all interesting. And it’s a part of you, and you’re my best friend, so I want to understand it.”

With nothing but a grin, Junmyeon clapped his hands together in front of him. There was a small spark before he pressed his hands to the wall on the circle. Amara watched in wonder as the sheetrock started to shake before flying back into place, making it seem like nothing had ever been smashed.

She shook her head and sighed. No matter how many times she had watched him do it, it still baffled her. She though back to the first time she’d caught him doing alchemy. It was on a rainy night when she went to his house and let herself in with her spare key. It’s not like that was anything new, as she regularly helped herself into Junmyeon’s house. What was new, was what she had seen when she walked in.

“Are… are you… Junmyeon! What the hell! Are you juggling fire? HOW are you juggling FIRE?!”  
“Amara! Shit! I thought you weren’t coming over until later!”  
“More important things here!…”  
“I know. I know. Shit. I’m not supposed to talk about it, let alone let anyone see me. I’m gonna be in so much trouble!”  
“Trouble? With who? What the fuck is going on?!”  
“Sit down. I guess I have a lot to fill you in on.”

That day, he finally told her about how he’d picked up alchemy from his father. He tried to explain the science of it to her in the same paragraph, but she struggled to even grasp the concept of him being able to perform–what she ended up calling–magic. It took time for her to adjust to it. It wasn’t until she had noticed how it made him feel more free, like it was nice for him to not have to hide anything from his best friend anymore. So she quickly forced herself to adapt to the new world…where magic was real, and her friend was a wizard.

You’re a wizard, Harry.

After he’d helped her move the bookshelf, (more like demanded that she let him help), Junmyeon started organizing the shelf for her.

“I think I owe you some ice cream for all of your help.” Amara said as she hugged him from behind, watching the way he alphabetized her haphazard collection.

“Do you have some ice and milk? I could make us some.” He wiggled his fingers at her and she stuck her tongue out at him.

“If you think that I’m going to sit here and wait for you to draw a circle so we can have milk flavored ice, you’re so wrong. Let’s just go up to Baskin-Robbins. I want cookie dough ice cream anyway.” Junmyeon acted offended, but agreed to drive.

Junmyeon’s roommate, Sehun, worked at the ice cream parlor down the street, and they went there to say hello. He walked over and handed them two cones on the house.

“For the lovebirds.” He winked at Junmyeon, who proceeded to roll his eyes.

“Like he doesn’t know better.” Junmyeon mumbled as Sehun skipped away. Amara only laughed. Sehun never failed to tell them that they needed to date, but Junmyeon always told him to shut up and lamented about how weird that would be.

“So, how is Prince Charming?” he asked as they ate their ice cream.

It was Amara’s turn to roll her eyes. “Why do you hate him so much?”

“Because he hates me.” Junmyeon shrugged and took a big bite of his. He looked like he wanted to say something else, and Amara waited for him to add, but he avoided her gaze. Sighing, she let it go.

“Things are alright. He’s always busy these days. He’s rarely at home anymore.” She caught herself.

“Wait, wait, wait…” his eyes grew wide. “You fucking moved in together?” She hadn’t told Junmyeon that she and Wonwoo had signed a joint lease last month, but he definitely heard her say the word 'home’ in the context that she had used it. His words were a harsh accusation and she shrank in her seat.

“So what? What’s the big deal?” Amara snapped back.

“Maybe because your boyfriend is an asshole?” Junmyeon fell back in his chair, looking quite defeated. “He constantly abandons you, he ignores your for days at a time, and somehow you thought moving in together would fix anything?” Amara crossed her arms defensively, not wanting to hear the same thing everyone else had said too.

“Now whose acting like an asshole.” She muttered and Junmyeon sighed. He stood after a moment and nodded towards the door. The drive back to her apartment was silent and awkward, and when they finally arrived back at Amara’s house, Wonwoo’s car was in the driveway.

Sensing the shift in the car at the sight of it, Amara quickly opened the door to the car and got out without a word. She was halfway up the sidewalk when she felt Junmyeon grab her wrist.

“Wait,” he said, “I’m sorry, I’m just really worried about you. He’s not good for you.” His eyes screamed of his sadness as his voice got softer and he repeated, “he’s not good for you.”

Amara wrapped Junmyeon in a hug. Her big, dumb, idiot best friend.

“You just don’t see the side of him that I do.” She explained, “He was there for me when my dad died. Wonwoo took care of me.”

“I would have been there, had you let me.” Junmyeon hugged her back. Suddenly, though, she felt him tense up.

“I was wondering where you took off to.” Wonwoo’s voice called. She released Junmyeon and turned to see Wonwoo leaning against the front door frame. He had his arms crossed and he the picture of relaxed. But Amara knew better. The side that she most often saw of Wonwoo that other people didn’t…was his anger. He pulled out Amara’s cell phone and waved it at them, asking, “forget something?” She quickly made her way to the stoop and hastily waved at Junmyeon on her way.

“I’ll call you later, Myeon.” He reluctantly waved back and shook his head as he walked back to his car.

Junmyeon slammed his fists down on the steering wheel before turning the key in the ignition. His best friend was a moron. A moron that he loved with all that he was, and he knew that was why Wonwoo despised him so much. Something just didn’t sit right with him about Wonwoo, though. Deep down in his gut, it was more than just a romantic competition. The guy was up to no good.

Junmyeon reached for his phone and called his Alchemy teacher. “Chanyeol? Yeah. Got time for a lesson? I need to destroy something.”

Amara reluctantly followed Wonwoo into the house, closing the door softly behind them. His gaze on her was intense as he waited for some kind of explanation to her forgetfulness. A beat of silence went by before he handed her cell phone over to her. “One rule, Amara. One. You always take your cell phone with you.”

“I’m sorry I forgot, Wonwoo. It was one time. Besides, what kind of person gives their girlfriend rules? I don’t have any for you. I don’t demand to know where you are all the time, or blow up your phone when you don’t answer…which is most of the time by the way.” She wasn’t sure if it was Junmyeon’s words that had fed her fire a bit or if she was just actually angry at him. Regardless, it felt good to tell him off like that.

“Yeah, because I don’t run off with another girl who is madly in love with me, doing who knows what for hours at a time.” He scoffed and Amara felt her temper flare again.

“Why do you care so much if Junmyeon is in love with me? Even if he was, which he isn’t, I’m with you, aren’t I? I asked you to move in with me, not Junmyeon.” She was yelling at him. She couldn’t handle the constant accusations anymore.

“That’s not enough, now is it?” He sneered, and she recoiled, as if his distaste had struck her.

“Can’t you just go…like you always do?” She said as she crossed her arms, and willed herself not to cry.

Wonwoo just laughed. “Fine by me. I have someplace to be anyway.”

Amara sighed. “Shocking.” As she went to walk past him, Wonwoo grabbed her elbow.

“You’re mine, Amara. Not Junmyeon’s. Mine.” She shoved him off of her.

“I’m not property. I’m a fucking person!” Much to her dismay, Wonwoo just smirked, cold and absolute, then walked out of the front door, slamming it behind him. Amara sat on the ground in the middle of the living room and buried her head in her hands. Deep down, she knew that Wonwoo wasn’t the right person for her. But as bad as he was, he’d pulled her out of some dark depths.

Amara’s mother had died when she was very young. She had almost no memory of her at all, and really only knew what she looked like from pictures. Her father had raised her alone, and he stayed in his study most of the time. When he died, Wonwoo seemed to show up right on time. He was there to work Amara through every stage of grief. Back then he’d been very patient with her, never demanding or ridiculing. He made it so that she was comfortable staying in the house her father had raised her in, despite his death making it harder to walk the halls. He had given her strength when she had none. What had changed? Where had that Wonwoo gone?

The lighting in her house changed as the sun began to set, and Amara stood and took herself to her father’s study. Her fingers traced the edges of the walls made of shelves that housed hundreds and hundreds of books, and she sat behind his desk and closed her eyes. She imagined days where he would laugh when he walked in to see her sitting there as a little girl. She would take crayons and paper in there and 'write’ a lot of scribbles to make it seem like she was working, just as he did.

In the dim light of the setting sun, she started absently opening drawers as she sat there, reminiscing. She smiled when she found some of those very pages of bright scribbles, and pulled them from their stacks. As she moved them, something caught her eye. She had never felt comfortable moving her father’s stuff around before, but this was a worn notebook that she had never seen before.

The front cover of it had what looked like a transmutation circle carved into the leather.

“Alchemy…” she whispered. Instead of opening it right away, she called Junmyeon.

Junmyeon was shocked to see Amara’s name on his cell phone. Part of him had anticipated that he wouldn’t hear from her for a few days. He figured that she and Wonwoo were either still screaming at each other or having great make up sex. He cringed at the thought of Wonwoo touching Amara in any type of romantic way, and answered the call.

“I’m in training,” was all that he said.

“Junmyeon, I found something in my father’s study that I need you to look at.“

"Can this wait until tomo–”

“Transmutation circles don’t usually have triangles in them, do they? The ones you draw don’t.” The question jarred Junmyeon into shock before he quickly demanded to know what she was taking about. “I found a book, and I think…well…I think my dad maybe have known about alchemy.”

His demeanor immediately changed as he said, “I’m on my way.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amara’s best friend, Kim Junmyeon and her boyfriend, Jeon Wonwoo, despised each other. She always assumed that it was because Junmyeon had become a very skilled Alchemist, and Wonwoo had always seemed against that… but is there more behind this feud that she wasn’t ready to learn?

When Junmyeon arrived at Amara’s house again, it was dark outside. He didn’t even bother knocking, but threw the front door open. He heard Amara yell, “in the study!” from down the hallway, and followed her voice. He walked in to see her standing in the middle of the room, holding a little book. She handed it to him without a word. Her eyes were wide. The moment Junmyeon saw the cover of the book, he gasped.

“This is–” He clamped his mouth shut before he could spill anything dire. Amara stared at him expectantly. She’d called him for answers anyway. “May I?” he asked softly, not wanting to invade her boundaries. She nodded and he opened the cover of the book. In a hand written script on the inside cover it said: “Property of Edward A. Archimedes - The Air Alchemist.”

“Amara, your father was a State Alchemist?”

The question hit her like a wall of bricks. She had lived with an alchemist all along? How had she not known? Surely there had to have been signs. Anything that should have alerted her to what was going on in her own home.

“It looks like he started this about six years before you were born.“ He flipped through the first few pages, recognizing words and recipes. He pursed his lips together, and said, "Amara… If you read this, you might find out things about your dad that you don’t want to know.” She reached for it without hesitation, but did not open it. Instead Amara looked up at Junmyeon.

“Why did you answer when I called?”

He looked at her, confused. “What does that have to do with anything right now?”

“It just… it’s important.” Amara set the journal down and looked back at him. She asked again, “why did you answer when I called?”

Junmyeon stepped up to her. “You’re my best friend, dummy. I’ll always answer when you call.” He was close enough to her that he reached out and cupped her cheek. He rubbed his thumb over a streak in her makeup where she had been crying earlier. His other hand rested on her other cheek and he used it to lift her face up to look at him.

“And because Wonwoo is right,” he whispered, “I’m so in love with you it’s crazy. I will never not answer when you call.” With those words, he finally kissed her. Years of yearning poured out into this one moment and he kissed her with everything that he had.

Amara kissed him back. Her hands flew around his neck and she pulled him closer. His hands wrapped around her waist, embracing her fully. She pulls him backward until her legs landed against her father’s desk, and Junmyeon wasted no time in lifting her and setting her on the desk. He used his body to spread her thighs apart and stood in between them. This was hardly the time nor the place for this, but he was not about to let a moment pass where he could finally physically show her what she meant to him.

He leaned down and placed aggressive kisses along her neck line and ripped the shirt she was wearing open, buttons popping everywhere along the floor.

“You owe me a new shirt.” She teased him between moans.

“I’ll make you a new one.” He nipped back.

“Alchemy can’t be that resourceful or everyone would be out of jobs.” Junmyeon stopped reaching for the button on her jeans.

“Are we going to talk about alchemy’s effects on the economy or are you going to let me make you cum?”

His blunt words only fueled her want for him more. Amara pretended to zip her lips closed as she leaned back and let him remove her pants from her body. He took his shirt and jeans off quickly before stopping to admire her. There she sat, in nothing more than her bra and panties. Junmyeon ran his fingers over the skin at her chest. She was as soft and beautiful as he had always imagined. His hand moved to rest on her chin as he pulled her closer for a softer, more sensual kiss.

“Please?” Amara finally whispered against his lips. Junmyeon was happy to oblige. He went to take off her underwear, but something caught his attention. It was a red mark peeking over the top of the fabric at her hip bone.

“You have a tattoo?” He didn’t remember her ever mentioning that she had gotten one, and that would have definitely been something that he remembered.

“Oh, that. I dunno. I’ve had it for as long as I can remember. I used to tell my dad I had a funny ‘lizard eating his tail stamp’ and he would laugh and tell me I was crazy.” Amara shrugged, pulling Junmyeon’s face in close again. But this time, he resisted.

“Lizard eating his tail.” He repeated the words and his heart stopped as he did. He quickly moved the fabric over, and his worst fears were confirmed. “An Ouroboros.” he gasped. Leaving Amara confused, horny, and mostly naked, he scrambled for the journal on the other end of the desk and flipped to the first page.

“January 24, 1984.

Elise told me today that she wishes to have a child. I have been so busy these days that I had not even considered the thought of a family. The longer I thought about it, however, the longer I loved the idea of a little one running around. Who knows? Maybe one day, I would be able to teach him or her alchemy! What fun that would be!”

Junmyeon flipped a few more pages until something jumped out at him.

“September 9, 1988.

Elise can’t conceive. Four years of trying and we have recently found out that her body is incapable of creating life. She is so devastated. I’m not sure what to do anymore. I’m heartbroken, although I cannot even begin to comprehend the hurt that she is experiencing.”

I have to find a solution. I have to find a way to give her a child of her own.

I’m so desperate to help her. I even considered the ultimate taboo. Although, with the legend of the Elric Brothers still being the warning against it, I’m honestly too afraid to even attempt human transmutation. I don’t know if that story is real or not, but if it is, the horrors are too drastic to try.”

“Who are the Elric Brothers?” Amara made him jump, forgetting that she was there.

“Uhh, they’re…uhh.” He sputtered, half distracted by her still naked body, and the fact that she was…she was…

“They’re supposedly two of the strongest alchemists to ever live. The story goes that they attempted to bring their mother back to life as kids. One lost his arm, and the other lost his body completely. His brother bonded his soul to a suit of armor until they were able to exchange their power for his body back.” Junmyeon glanced at Amara, a new hesitation in his eyes that she had never seen before. “They fought through hell and high water to get his body back. They fought against the first ever recorded Homunculi.” He watched her face for a reaction, but received none other than confusion.

“What the hell is a ‘Homunculi?’” She asked, and Junmyeon sighed.

“They’re fake humans, essentially.”

“Okay. So? Why exactly are you not kissing me? Why did my birthmark make you lose your god damn mind?”

“Just please,” He begged, knowing that he could possibly be giving up everything he ever wanted with her, “give me a minute to prove myself wrong.”

“January 11, 1989.

I have obtained the help of a neighbor boy as an apprentice. The boy was in his yard, and he was showing some amazing alchemy for only being three years old. I promised to train him in return for his assistance and silence. A little boy watched me create fire with my hands. He was willing to agree to anything. “

“February 19, 1989.

I have figured it out. It’s happened. I have figured out how to create a Philosopher’s Stone. Although I refuse to write it down in hopes that, should anybody find this journal. Whether it be my apprentice or my future, (hopeful) child, I can’t have anybody knowing any of the dark secrets behind it. Along with the means necessary to create a stone, I have also obtained the knowledge that, one day, I will have a child. I will. I will make Elise happy.”

“June 1, 1989.

I have taken the first step toward creating the stone. It was difficult. I can only hope that the end will justify the means to get there.”

“Dammit.” Junmyeon whispered. He closed the book and pressed it against his head. He looked at Amara who looked beyond lost. He knew that she didn’t know what any of this meant, and that made it even worse. His heart shattered the more that he read. “The way to create a Philosopher’s Stone remains unknown to almost the entire alchemic community. It would give someone too much power. They’ve been known to be the heart of the Homunculi, and gives them life and abilities when they aren’t even actual people. They look like us. They breathe like us. But they’re not human.”

“Okay? And?” She sighed, knowing there was no was he was going to make her cum now.

“To create a Philosopher’s Stone, Amara, you have to–” Junmyeon hesitated and took a deep breath, “you have to kill people. You have to kill a lot of people.” For a tense moment, they just looked at each other; her figuring she should put on a shirt, and he not daring to even breath. Amara wanted to ask more questions, but, instead said,

“Keep reading.” Junmyeon nodded, flipping several pages forward.

“December 21, 1989.

I think that it’s time. My apprentice, though just a young child, has been working so hard to understand alchemy. His powers are years beyond his age, and I genuinely believe that he will be able to help me complete this task. We are on the verge of success. I can feel it. Soon, we will hold a beautiful baby in our arms.”

“March 7, 1990.

She’s here. She is really, genuinely here. A heart of stone, but a smile so beautiful.

I gave it all up. I surrendered my alchemy over so that she could become and grow like a normal baby. She will experience a full life. She’ll take first steps and she will speak first words. My beautiful daughter will make her mother so happy.

I will never tell her who or what she really is. I can’t. Although the sacrifice to create her would show her just how fully loved and wanted she really was, I don’t know that she could ever really live knowing she was a homunculus. She never needs to know. I can not wait to present her to my wife. This beautiful, stunning, baby girl.

My Amara.”

Junmyeon’s heart sank.

Amara’s would have too, had her’s been real. There were no words exchanged. They sat and stared at each other for a very, very long time. What were they supposed to do with this information?

As the shock wore thin, the doubt set in, and Amara snatch the book from Junmyeon’s hands, tearing it open to read the words.

“This is some kind of stupid joke.” She muttered as she flipped through the pages. Detailed accounts of her creation, her natal charts, and records. “No, no, no, no…I had a mother!” She angrily shook the book at Junmyeon, like she was trying to convince him, like he wasn’t looking at her in horror.

“No, Amara…you didn’t.” He whispered.

“This is just some stupid–” She started to yell again, but he caught the book in her hand.

“Some stupid what? If it’s a prank, who pulled it? If it’s a lie, why would your father have written it? God this is all my fault…” He ran his fingers through his hair angrily.

“How is this your fault!” She snapped, and even when she was looking for every reason not to believe…it would never be his fault.

“If you hadn’t caught me using alchemy, you never would have known what the book was. You could have lived in peace.” He stood and started to pace the length of the study in his boxers. The truth was sinking in the longer the refused to look at her. Her world was falling apart all over again.

“…lived?” She whispered, and his eyes whipped to hers. Amara wasn’t real. Well, she was. But she wasn’t. She’d never lived. “I’m not real.”

There was a sound of clapping from the doorway, and both Amara and Junmyeon jumped at the sight of Wonwoo standing there, applauding softly.

“I wondered if I would find you two fucking when I saw Junmyeon’s car in the driveway,” he started, “but this is even better.“

"Wonwoo…this…isn’t what it looks like–” Amara tried to form a sentence, but his eyes were too menacing for her to think of a decent lie. He scoffed at her attempt and pushed off the door. “It’s not? Are you sure? Because it looks like a state alchemist in training finding out the love of his life is the exact thing he dedicated his life to destroying.” Junmyeon’s brow furrowed as he tried to piece together everything Wonwoo was saying.

“Wait. How the hell do you know what a Homunculus is?”

“I’m kind of glad that all of this is out in the open,” Wonwoo said, ignoring Junmyeon’s question. “It was exhausting having to hide the truth.” He snapped his fingers, and the top layer of skin on Amara’s hands began to burn away. She cried out when, under the skin that she was convinced was real, there were two thick black transmutation circles tattooed on her flesh.

Her world started to spin as she stared at them, with a kind of detached confusion. Those weren’t her hands, were they? This wasn’t her reality was it? None of this seemed real! All of this was too much. Wonwoo was an alchemist?

“I learned alchemy under your father, Amara. He took me in when my own deadbeat dad was too busy being piss drunk on the couch. He was actually the first soul that we took to create yours. Funny how the circle of life works, isn’t it?

“Anyway- when your dad died, he left you to me. He couldn’t stand to imagine his creation be left alone without somebody to care for. He had given me everything. It only seemed fair that I take you in and that I abide by his wishes. He didn’t want you to know about Alchemy, so I hid it. It’s why it was such a big deal when Junmyeon here started his. I was afraid that it would trigger something inside of you that would activate your powers. The good news is that it seems as though yours won’t show up since it’s been so long without them.”

Wonwoo rolled up his sleeves and sighed. “Now, though, I have to kill Junmyeon for knowing too much. It’s going to get messy, Amara. Go to our room so that you don’t have to watch this. I’ll come upstairs and we can talk about where we go from here.”

Sneering, Amara stepped in front of Junmyeon. “I won’t let you kill him.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amara’s best friend, Kim Junmyeon and her boyfriend, Jeon Wonwoo, despised each other. She always assumed that it was because Junmyeon had become a very skilled Alchemist, and Wonwoo had always seemed against that… but is there more behind this feud that she wasn’t ready to learn?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To quote Westworld, “These violent delights have violent ends.” So… violence and blood mentions this chapter.

“I learned alchemy under your father, Amara. He took me in when my own deadbeat dad was too busy being piss drunk on the couch. He was actually the first soul that we took to create yours. Funny how the circle of life works, isn’t it?

“Anyway- when your dad died, he left you to me. He couldn’t stand to imagine his creation be left alone without somebody to care for. He had given me everything. It only seemed fair that I take you in and that I abide by his wishes. He didn’t want you to know about Alchemy, so I hid it. It’s why it was such a big deal when Junmyeon here started his. I was afraid that it would trigger something inside of you that would activate your powers. The good news is that it seems as though yours won’t show up since it’s been so long without them.”

Wonwoo rolled up his sleeves and sighed. “Now, though, I have to kill Junmyeon for knowing too much. It’s going to get messy, Amara. Go to our room so that you don’t have to watch this. I’ll come upstairs and we can talk about where we go from here.”

Sneering, Amara stepped in front of Junmyeon. “I won’t let you kill him.”

Amara’s hands were balled into shaking fists at her side. She was positive she looked ridiculous. She stood between her boyfriend and best friend in nothing but her underwear. Her entire world was crumbling around her, her head was spinning as though she was drunk and had just jumped off of a roller coaster, so it took her a moment to realize that the crumbling sound around her wasn’t just metaphorical. There was a low rumble that was shaking the ground.

Wonwoo had clapped his hands together and pieces of the walls and floor and shelves around him began to move and fly around the room. Junmyeon growled from behind Amara and she felt his hand land on her waist. Before she could put together what had happened, she was being tossed to the side, out of the way of the two alchemists before her. Junmyeon’s hands met and a blade formed in his palm. Where the hell had he gotten the metal for that? She skimmed the room to see that the rolling chair that once laid behind the desk was now suddenly only a seat without a frame. She wasn’t sure whether she had hit her head or not, but something about both of their alchemy seemed off.

“You can transmute without a circle.” Wonwoo sneered.

“So can you” Junmyeon snapped back. His lips formed a thin line as he glared at his competitor.

“Had to figure out some way to protect my property.”

Amara’s blood boiled at being called “property” again. “You don’t fucking own me, Wonwoo!” She yelled. Before she knew it, he had stormed over to her and had his hand around her throat. He slammed her back against the bookshelf, and she felt her spine pop against the shelves. She wanted to cry out, but he had a firm enough grip that air was too limited to scream. She grabbed at his hands as an evil grin crossed his face.

“You. Are. Mine. You are a rare and beautiful thing, Amara. You have something inside of you that I will need in the future. Your Philosopher’s stone will make me stronger. It will help me make more Homunculi to serve me. Your father died before disclosing everything to me, but I need you to be able to figure out the rest of the recipe.”

Amara’s brain was struggling to put his words together. The lack of oxygen began to overpower her, and she wondered where the fuck Junmyeon was.

She was answered quickly when she heard Wonwoo scream and she hit the floor. Junmyeon had thrown his blade and it had landed in Wonwoo’s hand that was not draining life out of Amara. Wonwoo had lost his focus and dropped her to the floor. She shielded her head as a few books followed her on the way down from the force. She needed to stop them. Before she could act, however, a cage of rocks formed around her. Wonwoo glanced back saying, “don’t move.”

Wonwoo stood with a grimace. He removed the blade Junmyeon had thrown at him from his palm and a river of red poured from the gash. The blood had a steady flow to it. Amara wondered how long it would take for him to lose too much blood. He seemed unphased, however, as he lunged toward Junmyeon. The floor began to shake again as pieces of the foundation seemed to fly toward Junmyeon.

Not having time to transmute any type of follow up weapon, Junmyeon began manipulating the ground around him. He formed pillars of rock and dirt and drywall, using each one to dive away from Wonwoo. They ripped holes in the roof and walls, throwing spears of whatever material they could make around them.

Junmyeon suddenly dove toward Wonwoo. They both landed on the ground with a thud, and Junmyeon began to use his fists instead of alchemy. He landed several huge punches into Wonwoo’s skull and jaw. As huge of an asshole as Wonwoo was, something still tied him to Amara that seeing this was painful to her. Junmyeon had his knees pinning Wonwoo’s wrists down, but Amara caught a glimpse of Wonwoo attempting to flatten his hands against the ground and sparks trying to shoot from his fingers. She was trying to yell over the sounds of rock slides and her childhood home being ripped apart; the sound of her own heartbeat in her ears and her panicked breath all swirling together until all that she could do was let out a blood curdling scream.

The rocks around her broke and crumbled. A wave seemed to emit from her and everything around her followed suit. Pillars crumbled as she stood. Dust rose with her as she made her way over to Junmyeon and Wonwoo. They both froze at the sight of her powers as a Homunculus coming to fruit. She walked toward them and demanded, “enough.”

It was a whisper but it was enough to throw both men across the room from one another. She stood between them as she looked around at was left of her father’s library; of her entire house. Glass was laying in shards. Jagged ground left the floor unleveled with no remnants of the foundation or carpet originally there. Amara could see the giant trees that had grown around their home, and some of them were ruined in the clash themselves. Her childhood tire swing no longer hung, and her treehouse was gone as well.

It was as if a tornado had taken away everything she was.

Instead of a tornado, though, it was these two men who possessed a skill her father had and had hidden from her. This amazing, powerful, destructive skill.

“Amara.” Junmyeon stood with his hands out to her. She assumed that he was afraid of her now. She hadn’t known that she had any abilities, but now that she did, how would she use them? Junmyeon’s hands were shaking, but he reached out for her nonetheless. She went to return the gesture, but the black sigils inked into her skin caused her to pull back. Fury rose in her again as she whipped toward Wonwoo.

“How many?” She forced him backward against the wall and pressed her hands to the ground to test exactly what she could do. The Philosopher’s Stone gave her powers similar to that of an Alchemist’s. Rock formed around Wonwoo’s feet, holding him in place. She continued her question. “How many people did you help my father kill to make me.”

Wonwoo laughed. It sent shivers down her spine to hear him react that way.

“Enough.” he shrugged. “Enough that I helped create a life, Amara.”

“And what gave you the right to play God?” she spit back at him. “What made you decide who wasn’t worth keeping alive so that I could be?”

“Don’t you think you’re a better substitute of existence than my piece of shit father?!” His words rendered her silent. “They were people like that. People who hurt children. People who murdered and killed people who couldn’t defend themselves. Amara- we got rid of evil to create purity; to create beauty. How can you be upset at that?”

His words swirled inside of her head. No. It still wasn’t right.

“So my soul is… is a bunch of evil, disgusting people? The root of me is horrible.” Her breathing became staggered. Junmyeon cupped her face and tried to get her to focus on him but she shoved him off. She covered her ears as a million voices seemed to fill her head. Whose were they? Were they the voices of these people? Were they everyone who made her? She fell to the ground and covered her ears. So loud. So many voices.

And then silence.

Amara found her feet and stood up. Nothing around her moved. Junmyeon didn’t try to approach her. Wonwoo, for the first time, looked terrified of her. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and smiled a little smile.

“It’s all over.” she whispered. Junmyeon didn’t like how that sounded.

“Amara.” he whispered. Tears threatened to blur his vision, and he couldn’t afford that. Not right now. There was too much at risk. Amara’s face was a face of contentment. He would have loved to have seen that face, except that this was a horrible time.

“It’s okay, Myeon. It’s okay.” She turned back to Wonwoo, who began to struggle against the restraints Amara had his feet in. He was attempting to transmute out, but every time that he did, she added another layer of stone holding him in place. He was up to his waist in thick rock that did nothing but reform every time that he tried to break through.

He let out a piercing scream that took Junmyeon a moment to process. Initially, he couldn’t see why. He winced, almost out of sympathy, when he saw what caused his cry. Two spikes stuck out from his palms from the remnants of the wall he was held against. Adding to the injury that Junmyeon had already given him, now both of his hands were completely unusable. Panic swam in his eyes and he looked between Junmyeon and Amara, who was now walking toward him. Every glance seemed to scream for help.

Amara planted her feet so that her face was only a few inches from Wonwoo’s. She cupped his cheek and placed a kiss to his forehead.

“I do have to thank you. You gave me experiences. You did help give me this life, although not fully real. I got to see and do so much. You gave me this. For that, I’m grateful.” She turned back to Junmyeon and softly whispered, “please forgive me for what I’m about to do.”

“Amara, don’t!” He ran forward, but it was too late. He should have shifted the ground under her feet. He should have thrown her back. Why couldn’t he use his alchemy against her? Why was she the one person he wouldn’t use it to defend people against. Even Wonwoo deserved proper justice. Not… not what he got.

Junmyeon flinched and looked away as, with a simple twist of Amara’s finger under his jawline, Wonwoo’s neck snapped.

She was so powerful. It was terrifying.

Silence hung heavy in the air. Junmyeon sat on the ground, tired and lost. Amara came and sat in front of him. He reached out and held her hand. Here was this woman he loved. She was still only in a bra and underwear, dirt and blood as her accessories. Her mascara smeared down her cheeks and her hair would take multiple washes to clean; and yet, she was still the most beautiful person he had ever laid eyes on.

Most beautiful homunculus as well, but, in his defense, she was also the only homunculus he had ever seen.

“You know what has to happen, right?” She ran her thumb along the top of his hand, and goosebumps rose up his arms. He did. He just didn’t want to do it.

“We can rebuild all of this.” He gestured at the house around them. “You are so impressive, Amara. Together, we could put this back together and go back to none of this ever having happened. We can be us. You and me. Loving with our whole hearts and…” she pressed a finger to his lips to quiet him.

“You can love me with your whole heart. Myeon. I don’t have one to love you with.” The words broke him. He fell forward, sobbing into her lap. She ran her fingers through his hair as he cried. She cried, too. Damn her father and Wonwoo for giving her feelings. For the feeling of heartbreak, and especially the feeling of guilt that was now consuming her for living off of the deaths of so many others. Maybe their darkness was what drove her to finish Wonwoo, but regardless, their deaths made her.

That wasn’t a life that deserved to live.

When Junmyeon sat up again, Amara wiped his tears and managed to turn the corners of her lips up into, what she at least hoped, resembled a smile. He leaned forward and kissed her. Today had been their first kiss. Today would be their last kiss, but he needed one more kiss.

Junmyeon pressed his forehead to Amara’s and whispered, “I love you” before he placed his hand over her chest. He could feel the energy from the stone- her heart- and, using the little energy for alchemy he had left, he pulled it toward him.


End file.
